A Poison Garden to be set up at the GSPCA - St. Andrew's Floral Group

Dog owner Ginny Heaume was left devastated when her two cockers, Macy, 11, and Tally, 9, died suddenly after eating a castor oil plant.

Mrs Heaume, who has owned dogs for 30 years, said the plant had been gifted to the family by a gardener friend.

They were unaware it was so toxic, but when her two dogs had an upset tummy, she believed they were drawn to the plant because it contained laxative properties.

‘They would normally be attracted to grass, but we had no grass in the doggy area.

‘On the Saturday they were sick, but didn’t seem too bad. But on the Sunday they got worse rapidly. They were weak, panting a lot and clearly in a lot of discomfort.’

It was only when Mrs Heaume had dropped her pets to the vets and returned home that she noticed the plant had been eaten.

Sadly her vet said there was no antidote for that plant, and Macy and Tally died on the Monday, leaving behind Tally’s only puppy, Jaffa.